Bicycle shop a community

Updated 8:10 am, Thursday, June 23, 2011

Photo: HELEN L. MONTOYA, HELEN L. MONTOYA/hmontoya@conexionsa.com

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Zach Seiter and Jessica Gonzales own S.A. Cycles is a neighborhood bike shop in Southtown that caters to all types of riders. Corey Aguilar and Michael Lugo work on bikes in the shop on Tuesday June 21, 2011.

Zach Seiter and Jessica Gonzales own S.A. Cycles is a neighborhood bike shop in Southtown that caters to all types of riders. Corey Aguilar and Michael Lugo work on bikes in the shop on Tuesday June 21, 2011.

Photo: HELEN L. MONTOYA, HELEN L. MONTOYA/hmontoya@conexionsa.com

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Jessica Gonzales and business partner Zach Seiter own S.A. Cycles is a neighborhood bike shop in Southtown that caters to all types of riders.

Jessica Gonzales and business partner Zach Seiter own S.A. Cycles is a neighborhood bike shop in Southtown that caters to all types of riders.

Photo: HELEN L. MONTOYA, HELEN L. MONTOYA/hmontoya@conexionsa.com

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Zach Seiter and Jessica Gonzales own S.A. Cycles is a neighborhood bike shop in Southtown that caters to all types of riders.

Zach Seiter and Jessica Gonzales own S.A. Cycles is a neighborhood bike shop in Southtown that caters to all types of riders.

Photo: HELEN L. MONTOYA, HELEN L. MONTOYA/hmontoya@conexionsa.com

Bicycle shop a community

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As the door to S.A. Cycles open, a bell chimes and a handful of friendly faces are there to say hello. Bicycles, both extravagant and simple, line the wall to the left, and bike accessories line the wall to the right.

The shop is tucked away on South St. Mary's Street, next door to a store that sells helados. The owner of that store and Jessica Gonzales and Zach Seiter, owners of S.A. Cycles, talk to each other as if they're old friends.

Neighbors and friends recently gathered behind the shop for a barbecue to celebrate the shop's first anniversary.

The friendly, neighborhood bike-shop atmosphere is what makes the store what it is, Gonzales says. It's a place where everyone, no matter his or her riding level, is welcome.

“Right now we have a $50 bike, and right next to it we have a $7,000 bike,” Gonzales said.

The shop is more than just a place where people can get their bikes fixed, it's a community, adds Seiter.

Seiter and Gonzales met in California and were part of the riding community before the number of bike riders and commuters exploded. Their love of riding and the need within the Southtown community, where a growing number of cyclists ride the streets and the nearby river path, pushed the two to open the shop.

Now, mainly because of gas prices, more people are riding, she said, and it's getting harder to recognize people on the road.

But the more people who have joined the community, the better the business has been. Local health initiatives have also helped, Gonzales said.

“I remember when we'd ride down the street and we recognized the 20 people riding their bikes in the neighborhood,” Gonzales said. “It's been amazing to see the development.”

The store is celebrating its first anniversary this month, and it's celebrating not only because it survived during a bad economy but because it's thriving.

The shop employs two mechanics and one apprentice and has started to provide weekly family rides. It also is working alongside the city on various bike-riding initiatives.

More Information

S.A. Cycles, 1804 S. St. Mary's St., (210) 534-0344

“The bad economy actually helps us,” Seiter said. “And people are starting to get worried about their health, too.”

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Although the couple haven't been able to pay themselves yet — Seiter's main income comes from a cabinet shop around the corner — they are doing what they love, providing a community they love with a service that will help people maintain a healthier lifestyle.